The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-07-23
THE FARM HOME.
Why 1t Should Be Made Place of Pleas-
ure to Old and Young.

ure to Old and Young.
Yes; make it so pleasant that the
growing boys and girls will not be
looking forward to the time when they
will be old enough to leave the farm in
search of pleasanter place, l know
well-to-do farmer, having eight
children, who, as soon as they are old
enough to support themselves, leave
their home. Of the five boys, mot one
remains on the farm. They have gone
to clerkships and other positions, in
preference to staying on the much de-
spised farm. A glance in the home
may account somewhat for this. There
has never been any effort to make it
attractive for the children. The par
ents' aim has been to work and save,
with scarcely thought that their chill
dren had any other needs than food
and clothing. They are active, bright
minded boys and girls. 1t is no Won
der that the dullness and mOnotony
becomes uncomfortable.
This farmer does not hesitate to
spend money in farm improvements,
in fine stock, or in any thing that will
advance his financial interest. but any
outlay for the children's pleasure is re-
garded as unnecessary and extrava-
giant.
Children can not feel that sense of
proprietorship in the farm and its
profits that is a stimulant to the heads
of the household, and something is
needed to take its place. Some per-
sonal property, even if chicken or a
pig, is strong incentive. Children
are sportive by nature-all young ami
mails are-and some diversion is es-
sential for leisure hours; otherwise
their minds will wander off and dwell
on the attractions supposed to pertain
to village and city life.
If children love music, and an organ
or piano can not be afforded, let them
have smaller and less expensive instru-
ments. Many an hour might be spent
in the happiest way by boy in his
efforts to perform on the violin or ac-
cordeon, that would otherwise pass dis
contentedly or in hurtful companion
ship.
A few dollars each year invested in
reading matter will not only supply
pleasant employment for leisure hours,
but the means of mental improvement
as well. There are so many excellent
entertaining publications for the young,
and at such low prices, that no family
in which there are children should be
without one or more. But parents
should discriminate carefully between a
good and bad class of reading matter,
for there is a large amount of flashy,
sensational character wholly unfit for
the young to read.
A man, who was reared on farm,
said to the writer not long since, that
the very name of a farm filled him with
dread; that during his boyhood, all
DAYS when out of school, were spent in
hard, plodding work, with no recrea-
ton to diversity the dull time, and his
only ambition then was for the time to
come when he could leave aplace he so
utterly disliked.
There is no reason why country
home should not be place of pleasure
and contentment to every member
There is a freshness and freedom in
farm life that can not be enjoyed when
a person is surrounded by brick walls.
With pleasant mental recreation for
leisure hours, there need be no unhappy
memories of the farm to carry through
life. -Anertcan AgricuIturtSt
A letter was received, duly sd-
dressed to w. H. Moore, music dealer,
WATERFOWL, Ga, several days since,
with one dollar inclosed with an order
for twelve pieces of music. As the
writer did not sign name or give ad-
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